Thursday, 12 February 2015

Pope Francis gives his blessing to spanking children

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis says it's OK to spank your children to discipline them - as long as their dignity is maintained.Francis made the remarks this week during his weekly general audience, which was devoted to the role of fathers in the family.Francis outlined the traits of a good father: one who forgives but is able to "correct with firmness" while not discouraging the child."One time, I heard a father in a meeting with married couples say 'I sometimes have to smack my children a bit, but never in the face so as to not humiliate them,'" Francis said."How beautiful!" Francis remarked. "He knows the sense of dignity! He has to punish them but does it justly and moves on."

A few days ago, Pope Francis endorsed spanking. Believing that one can spank children and leave them with dignity, Pope Francis even called such a means of punishment, "beautiful." Unless there are records or evidence of the Pope spanking children that are not his own, I don't think that the Pope has much direct knowledge with this subject. In an age of serial and often unreported abuse of children in the Christian world, I can think of few more ignorant statements than for the Pope to give his blessing to the abuse of children. Some might argue that the language of abuse is too strong. I would argue that abuse always begins with the violent exercising of power over someone who is powerless and this is what the Pope has just endorsed.